‘ Annadanam maha danam, vidya danam tatparam, ’ (offering food is a great charity, however, imparting education is greater) goes the adage.
And here is Shri Gujarati Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School at Mattancherry celebrating the joy of supporting education for the past 50 years.
Started in 1962 by Shri Cochin Gujarati Mahajan (SCGM), an association of Gujaratis, who migrated around the 12th century from their native place to the southern parts of the country, the school has become a well-established institution where not only Gujarati students, but those from other communities come to study.
The school has had the privilege of having reputed and experienced teachers to lead the institution from the beginning, paving the way for reaching great heights as the founders had envisaged.
It was a step-by-step process of growth for the school.
The SCGM started a Vernacular Centre in 1904 in order to impart basic education to Gujarati children in their mother tongue.
Later on, a girls’ school was opened in 1914.
The foundation for a regular school was laid on August 27, 1919 by T. Viyaya Raghavacharya, the then Diwan of Cochin.
The primary school was upgraded as upper primary in 1966 with Finance Minister Morarjee Desai inaugurating the building on September 25, 1966. By 1983, SSNKM Sharada Mandir, catering to students from LKG to Standard 4 was established.
The latest educational venture of the SCGM is Seth Ram Bahadur Sigh Gujarati College, which was established in 2002 and is affiliated to M.G. University.
It offers graduation and postgraduation courses in streams related to economics, commerce and business.
Currently, the higher secondary school has 500 students and 20 teachers, headed by Mary Neema Remalo, Principal. The school has maintained cent per cent results in SSLC examinations throughout these years.
The institution has excelled not only in academics, but in the field of sports and other co-curricular activities. Says Varghese Thomas, a staff member and a recognized representative of the higher secondary section of the school, “Our students have been able to bag a lot of prizes in various events that took place at the national level with softball and baseball being the main areas of achievement. Apart from sports, we’ve been able to excel in the literary field.”
In this golden jubilee year, the school will be getting a new wing with more classrooms and other facilities at an investment of about Rs.15 lakh.
Says R.V. Kilikar, Principal of SRBSG College, “The celebrations are to take place at a grand level and so, it has been charted as a three-day event.
The dates for the event are September 2,3 and 4.
The programme is to be inaugurated by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and will proceed with other eminent speakers addressing the students.
The second day celebrations are to be inaugurated by K. Sankaranarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra and followed by K. J. Yesudas, who also happens to be completing 50 years in the field of music.
On the third day, T.K. Nair, Advisor to the Prime Minister, will inaugurate the events. It will also be an event where Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will attend. We have also organised an event where all the older and former staff of the school will be honoured.”
